Unicom

15A · Post by **15A** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:57 pm

I'm in the process of establishing a private seaplane base where I live on a lake, just south of Boston Ma., and am in need of a base station radio that can monitor 122.9 by my wife, Linda, or myself. Can anyone help me out with this? I need a compact radio that can sit on the counter that's accessible when someone calls in! (I don't want a hand-held)
Thanks in advance!
And all are welcome!

Joe

JHKeeton171 · Post by **JHKeeton171** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:47 am

Joe-

ICOM makes a nice radio to be used as a base station. Check their website or one of their suppliers. NARCO use to have one, but that was 30 years ago. I have one and it still works, but it is at the airport and I don't have any data on it here.

On a different subject. Notice you have a 172 conversion. Which one?
I own N6927A with a Bolen/Avcon/Bob Williams conversion and I am looking for supporting documents ie: instructions, drawings, parts list, rigging instructions, anything that would help maintain and support continued airworthiness of this mod. My email is JHKeeton@mindspring.com and phone is 404-229-5221. Please get in touch.

All the best, Jim

15A · Post by **15A** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:31 am

Hello Jim!

Thanks for the info on the base station.
I'm looking for something, not especially new, that I can keep on the counter for a 'heads-up'.

My plane is N6915A, ser. no. 29015. I don't have any drawings, just a 337 form that states it was owned by Ralph Bolen Inc., 1311 US40SW, London, Ohio.
It was converted in 1979 and lived in South Dakota, on a farm in a barn!, until I bought it in 2004. (Talk about the old '66 Mustang in a garage!)

I have to say that it is the BEST conversion I have ever seen!!! Structurally and aerodynamically, it is truly a pleasure to TAXI !!! and fly!!!
All these old straight tails should have remained tail draggers!

Jim, I see you have a 171 (tweener). I own a precision sheet metal shop and just bought a laser. Nothing would make me happier than producing parts for these old birds! The 170's are getting very limited, the straight-tail 172's are common, but they're still 50+ years old! Great airplanes! Comfortable, roomy, BIG flaps!, economical. Liability!!! Went by the courthouse today and it was so cold the lawyers had their hands in their OWN pockets!!!

Let me know if I can do anything for you!

Joe

doug8082a · Post by **doug8082a** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 1:04 pm

Hey Joe,

that's great to hear you are establishing a seaplane base. Where exactly will it be? I fly out of Mansfield a lot so it would be fun to swing by.

Here are a couple links on the Icom radio and base station:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/a ... omPS80.php

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/a ... ica200.php

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:52 pm

Joe what your looking for is an outdated 360 channel aircraft radio removed for upgrade. It would be a matter of supplying 12/24 volts, a speaker and an antenna for the setup.

Of course if you transmitt with it you could bring the wrath the the FCC down on you.

If you found your way down to PA I have an old Narco MK12A that would work but not be ideal as it is clunky with a separate power supply.

An old (or new) and held might work the best and could be used in other situations other than as a base radio.

n3833v · Post by **n3833v** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:57 pm

Any usable radio with a ac voltage converter will do as a power supply. I do that with a CB radio at the house near the the interstate highway where I live.

John

15A · Post by **15A** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 3:19 pm

Thanks for the in-put, guys!

I just got handed an old RT-308C. So I think I'll just build a box with a speaker and power converter, powder-coat it black, and install it in the kitchen over-looking the lake.

Bruce, what happens should I 'accidentally' key the mike on 122.9???

And Doug, I'm based in Taunton inside one of the old Tee hangars. My house is on Long Pond, Lakeville/Freetown, on the south west corner. It'll be on the sectional as Craig Cove. 4000' x 200'.

We had 6 to 8 planes on the ice in front of my house 3 weeks ago. Fire pit roaring all day, hot chocolate, hot dogs & chili. Piper cubs giving rides all day! (I don't have a means of posting pics!!!) 172's, Piper Cherokees, Kit Fox, Super Chipmunk, Decathlon, even a powered hang glider!!! It was like our own Alton Bay!

Thanks again for your suggestions!

Joe

doug8082a · Post by **doug8082a** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 3:35 pm

Joe,

Sounds great! Did you happen to know Brett Smith? He had a Searey and used to land on Long Pond sometimes. He was a member of our EAA chapter before relocating to TN.

If you want, email me the pics... I can post them for you.

doug8082a · Post by **doug8082a** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:03 pm

Joe Craig's pics - Long Pond, Lakeville, MA

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:14 pm

15A wrote:Thanks for the in-put, guys!
Bruce, what happens should I 'accidentally' key the mike on 122.9???
Joe

Hordes of FCC guys will descend on you from behind every tree. I saw a few of them in those pics Doug posted.

doug8082a · Post by **doug8082a** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:21 pm

N9149A wrote:
15A wrote:Thanks for the in-put, guys!
Bruce, what happens should I 'accidentally' key the mike on 122.9???
Joe
Hordes of FCC guys will descend on you from behind every tree. I saw a few of them in those pics Doug posted.

Yeah

Looks like they fly an orange & white cub on floats.

djbaker · Post by **djbaker** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:41 pm

Let us know through the forums next time your having a fly-in. We fly to New Bedford from Newburyport most good weekends

15A · Post by **15A** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:23 pm

Will do, Jim.

We had decided late Saturday afternoon to have an ice party Sunday! Really short notice. Posted it on our KTAN site (myfamily.com) and everything just fell into place. Great weather, people, and planes!

Post by **GAHorn** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:15 am

15A wrote:...Bruce, what happens should I 'accidentally' key the mike on 122.9???...Joe

Joe, about 10 years ago I bought an airplane with one of those RT units. I used it briefly to check the weather at a local unicom in AL on my way ferrying the airplane to TX. In just a few seconds ATL center called me by tail number ON THE FREQ. and cautioned me not to broadcast on that radio again! It was "bleeding" over onto their ATC freq. (Seems that not only adjacent freq's are at risk but that "shadows" or "sidelobes" are created by some of the old units, and they broadcast on freqs not even close!)
Two weeks later I rec'd a letter from the FAA TRACON (How the heck they got my address as a new owner of that airplane I'll never know... it took OKC 6 months to process the registration!...) The letter warned me of the new .003 separation requirements of transmitters and referred to some obsure rule about interfereing with ATC functions and mentioned fines and jail time.
You'll also be raising the spectre of your FCC Radio Station License. If you broadcast with that radio, interfere with some airliner's ATC functions, and draw attention to yourself... If the FCC looks into it, you can be sure they'll want to see your base-station license. I suspect you'll get a DWI/DUI citation as well.

I replaced that radio right away. I still have it and I'll sell it cheap to anyone who wants it. (I thought it'd make a good base unit "listening post" as well but found out it won't drive a speaker very well without an audio amplifier.)

15A · Post by **15A** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:45 am

Well,

Looks like I have a RT-308C for sale real cheap if anyone is interested...